The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-06-23

during the engagement of April, l, 1865
at Five Forks, Va.
Confederate battle flag of the 27tl
South Carolina regiment, captured b,
Private L. G. Anderson, Company GA.
18th Massachusetts, battalion.
South Carolina State flag, no history
Confederate battle flag, captured b,
Gen. Sheridan's forces September IS
1864, from 8th South Carolina Infantry
Battle flag of Sumter Flying ARTILLERY
captured in the battle Of Appomatt0x
Station, April 8. 1865, by Chief Buglel
Chas. Shorn, 1st Virginia Veteran Vol.
unter Cavalry, Sd brigade, 3D. cavalry
division, Gen. Custer commanding.
Battle flag of the Sumter Heavy Artil,
lery, captured in the battle of Sailors
Greek, April 6, 1865, by Sergt George
J.. Pitman, Company G, 1st New York
LINCOLN Volunteer Cavalry, 3D. brigade,
3d division, Gen. Custer commanding.
Garrison flag, "Secessionville, James
Island, 5: g., defences of Charleston,
captured February, 1865. Presented to
tho war department by Brig. Gen. A..
Schimmelpfennig,
Garrison flag, "Fort Moultrie, ,"
Charleston haGbor, captured February
18, 1865. Presented to the war depart
ment by Brig. Gen. A. Schimmelpfennig.
Garrison flag of the Citadel of Charles
ton, 3. O., captured February Is, 1865.
Presented to the war department by
brig. Gen. A. SchimmelpIennig.
The Presidents Action.
WASHINGTON, June 16.-The following
letter was sent to the Secretary Of War
by the President TO, day in regard to the
disposition of flags captured by the
Union forces during the lato war:
L have to-day considered with more
care than when the subject was orally
presented to me the action of your de-
partment directing letters to be addressed
to the Governors Of all the States, offer
ing to return, if desired, to tho loyal
States of the Union the flags captured
during the Wnr OF the rebellion by the
Confederate forces and afterwards re-
covered ny government troops, and to
the Confederate States the flags captured
by the Union forces, all Of which, for
many years, have been packed in boxes
and stored in tho cellar and attic of the
War department. | am Of the onin;on
that the return of the flags IN the man
ner thus contemplated is not authorised
by existing law, nor justified as an ex-
ecutiVe act. L re1ucsr, therefore, that
no inrther steps be taken in the matter,
except to examine and inventory these
flags and adopt proper measures for
their preservation. Any direction rs to
the final disposition Of them should
originate with Congress. YouIs truly,
GROVl3R ULEyELAND.
At the request Of Governor Foraker,
OF Ohio, that counsel should be retained
to institute legal proceedings to cDioin
the return OF the confederate flags to the
Governors of the Southern States, Gen.
II. '. Boynton to-day selected Samuel
Shellabarger, of Ohio, and George S.
BOUTWELL,, of Massachusetts,, to take
charge Of the case. These gentlemen OK
pected to have an application 2or man
damns flied = the Supreme Court of the
district Mt l o'clock this afternoon, but
were delayed by the nonrereipt of the
necessary telegram from Ohio. The
papers were based upon the claim that
the Secretary of War was about to dis
pose OF public property without authori-
ty of law. The letter Of tho President,
however, made further action by the
attorneys unnecessary.
Gen. l. irchild Raves.
WASHINGToN, June 16.--Ata reception
to Gen. Fairchild, commander-in. chief
q. a. r., in New York, last night, ten
dered by the Alexander Hamilton Post,
Eairchild delivered an impassioned
speech upon the proposed return to the
Southern States of the flags captured in
the late war. He Gpoke under strong
cxclteGcnt, and almost his first uttcrance
was:
"May God palsy the hand that wrote
the order, may God palsy the brain that
conceived it, and may God ralsy the
tODOun thpt 1;Ctotol 40
In the course of his speech Fairchild
said:
"Sincc about 1867 the G. A. f., has
been the friend of the South, we have no
sort OF hate or malice against our old
foes anywhere and are ready to extend
them tho right hand Of fellowship. Not.
withstanding all this l. most emphatical.
ly assert that the Southern States have
no manner of right to take from us the
relics OF the late rebellion in the shape
of Rebel flags. What would Missouri
Maryland, Mississippi, South Caroline
and other States do with the flags if they
had them? Would the Governors o.
these States place them in their State
capitals as emblems to be revered and
TO teach coming generations treasoni
no loyal Governor of any State in this
Union Will receive them. They will say
'Ihese arc relics af q dead past. We are
members of the Union of States and car
not receive these emblems of treason -
Falrchlld concluded by stating that he
spoke i'll defence of the Southern pco
pie, whom he felt sure would feel in.
suited by having those flags thrust upon
them.
After Fairchild's address, resolutions
were adopted as follows:
"That the President of the United
States, having approved there commend,
alton that all battle flags in the custody
of the war department belonging to
Southern States in rebellion during the
late civil war be returned to the respec,
tive States which bore them, for such
final disposition as they may determine,
this post views with surprise the action
of the President, and records its protest
thereto; that the sacrifice Of blood whicl
captured tho Gmblems rcfcrrod to was {
sacrifice to liberty, national union anc
to God; that no sentiment of generosity
and no expression Of ma8nanimity is in
yOlVp0 in thp sil,,TpD1nr nf fboeG poyo